Will you be my Valentine?

"Love is in air"  All Over Infact!!!

Red hearts.... Cupcakes.... Diamonds.... Candle-lit dinners and what more!
Oh Gosh.. Not again!!! That day has again come back to haunt me
Not that I have an abhorrence of some sort towards it but I just find it to be a little too hyped up.
I often wonder, whether the lengths that people go to making their "loved ones" feel on top of the world is actually genuine or whether it is just to compete with the others in doing something better?!
Whatever it may be, I think this Valentine's Day instead of going by the same old, boring traditional book, why not think of something out of the ordinary?
We all love cakes, don't we???
And when you hear the words "cake" and "V-Day", the first thing we think of is this luscious red velvet cake sitting right in front of our eyes!!
But why not try a black velvet this year? It's really not that hard at all as it more or less takes about the same effort as doing any other cake. But, it's unusual so you are sure to impress that special someone of yours!

Here is Betty Crocker's version of it!

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Serves: 16

Ingredients:
2 and a half cups of all purpose flour
1 and a half cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of unsweetened regular or dark baking cocoa
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 and a half cups of vegetable oil
1 cup of buttermilk
2 eggs
1 bottle (1 oz) of black food colour
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 containers (12 oz each) cream cheese whipped frosting
Black string licorice and black jelly beans( to your own requirements)

Method:
Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans) Grease 3 (8-9 inch) round cake pans with shortening, lightly flour.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, beat oil, buttermilk, eggs, food colour, vinegar and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed just until blended. Gradually, add flour mixture, beat for two minutes on a medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes, remove from pans to cooling racks and cool completely for about an hour. Brush of all loose crumbs from cake layers. Place one cake layer, rounded side down on serving plate spread with one cup of frosting. Top with the second and third cake in the same manner. Spread remaining on sides and top of the cake. Cut the licorice into pieces. Pile licorice on top of the cake. Decorate bottom edge of the cake with jelly beans.

If you are passionate enough, then just go for it!!!